Your smartphone’s ability to pinpoint your exact location goes way beyond simple navigation. GPS is used for web searches to deliver relevant local results, in dating apps to find you a nearby date, and as a safety net when you lose your device.

Knowing how to customize your location settings is important, since location tracking presents a real privacy risk. Today we’ll look at how you can manage those settings, as well as sharing your location and finding your friends.

How to Turn On/Off Location Services on iPhone

To turn on Location Services on your iPhone:

Launch Settings, scroll down the list, and tap Privacy.

Tap Location Services and make sure the toggle is set to On.

Every app that has requested access to your location will appear below this option. It’s here you can easily revoke access, or grant access to an app you have previously denied. It’s a good idea to periodically check this list, since many apps can check on your location in the background.

While GPS used to consume a large chunk of battery power, location technology is way more efficient than it once was. Motion co-processors reduce the reliance on a “GPS fix” by reducing the number of satellite requests your device has to make.

Tap Select People and specify who you want to share your location with.

Note: Find My Friends is a feature integrated into your iPhone’s operating system, so it functions as a service rather than a third-party app. Google Maps, on the other hand, is restricted to Apple’s approved background processes like any regular app.

As a result, Google Maps likely won’t be as reliable as Apple’s baked-in technology.

How to Check Who Can See Your iPhone Location

To see who can detect your device location using Find My Friends and iMessage:

Launch Settings, scroll down, and tap Privacy.

Select Location Services followed by Share My Location.

Browse the list to see who can track your location.

Tap on a contact, scroll to the bottom of the page, and select Stop Sharing My Location where necessary.

If you have set up location sharing in Google Maps, you’ll need to disable it within the app:

Visit iCloud.com in a web browser and log in with your Apple ID and password.

Click on Find iPhone and wait while the location request goes out.

Select All Devices at the top of the screen and select your iPhone (or any other device you want to locate).

Find My iPhone lets you play a sound to try and locate your device, enable Lost Mode, or initiate a remote erase. You can also see your current battery level. When your battery dies, Find My iPhone will report the last known location.

If you have another iOS device like an iPad, you can locate all of your Apple devices with the Find My iPhone app. The Find My iPhone feature is also important to make Face ID more secure on iPhone X.

Location Sharing Is Caring

The perks of using your iPhone’s GPS abilities to share your location with friends and family vastly outweighs the battery life you’d save by turning off Location Services. Just be mindful of which apps and contacts you grant access to your location, and review the list periodically to avoid any nasty surprises.